I really enjoyed this sermon, which is described in the following way on Youtube:
“Why Was Jesus Killed?” There is a traditional Sunday School answer but when looked at in strict historical terms, Jesus was killed for much the same reasons as such martyrs as Oscar Romero, Malcolm X, Martin Luther King, Jr. and Gandhi. Jesus publicly challenged the power and authority of the empire along with its military abuses, exploitation of the poor and prejudice about race, gender, religion, and nationality and its neglect of the sick. In that sense, Jesus died for a message of liberation and justice and the metaphorical accounts of his resurrection express the early church’s unwillingness to let the cross kill the message of Jesus.
By the way, I’ve never heard anyone other than this pastor describe Paul as someone in cahoots with the Roman government. If you know of any books or articles that explain this in further detail, please let me know.
Have a great week!
My son is has plethora of info on this subject…you can contact him on wordpress or facebook. His name is Duane Toops. regards dan toops
________________________________
I disliked him. He is too dogmatic and cock-sure of his opinions, although the essence of his views is not new. Spong, Crossan & Company say most of the same things.
I didn’t hear him say that Paul was in cahoots with the Roman government. I don’t want to re-listen to the whole thing. At about what point, timewise, does he make this claim?
Terrific post and a great YouTube video that pretty much covers the evidence and the issue of Pauline vs. Jesus as the founder of Christianity. My mother was convinced that Paul was the founder of Christianity, not Jesus, and she thought that Paul was a dogmatic misogynist. She had a great respect for Jesus.
Great video, Crystal! Thanks for posting this. The Paul part makes so much sense. It was always difficult for me to reconcile Jesus’ message with that of Paul.